


Birthdays

by sui



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-11 14:36:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sui/pseuds/sui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They don't end up buying proper birthday presents for each other until the third year of high school, and for Tetsuya, by then it's not so much about a nice gift but attempting to express his undying love in the most ineffective way possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthdays

Birthdays don’t come up in conversation between them until Momoi turns their duo into a trio and it’s the three of them on late night jaunts to Majiba and walking home after practice. She didn’t need to ask, of course, but as she said, it was more polite to do so. Tetsuya told her – he had no reason not to – and received Aomine’s date of birth in return.

He’d forgotten about it by the time January rolled around and was, according to Aomine, unreasonably surprised when he was presented with a small gift, a few wristbands to wear during practice, on the morning of the 31. Momoi had hovered uncertainly for a moment before recognizing the pleased tilt to his lips and he was sure to smile as warmly as he could when he thanked her. He was flattered, frankly, and returned the favor in May with a selection of clips and hair ties. She was delighted and after that, they’d never failed to exchange presents.

Conversely, he and Aomine had never bought anything for each other, throughout all of middle school. Tetsuya had tried, once, approaching him and asking if there was anything he needed for practice. Aomine had waved him off, settling instead for a promise of the day spent together at the courts and a free meal afterwards. A few months later, Tetsuya was content with the same on his own birthday. Each day playing basketball with the team was already a gift; he didn’t need anything more.

And so it wasn’t until their second year of high school that they actually bought proper presents. It had been a long time coming, that time being how long it took for them to be comfortable sending and responding to texts of the, “Hey, you free on Friday?” and, “Sure, wanna meet up?” variety again.

For Aomine, Tetsuya had purchased a new pair of shoes (with a bit of assistance from Kagami) in order to make up for last time. When his own birthday came around, Aomine treated him to a shake and produced a clumsily wrapped package, the spherical shape making it obvious what was inside. He was grateful anyway.

Somewhere between then and the next year, Tetsuya’s feelings clicked irreversibly into place and he wasn’t able to look at Aomine the same way again. Well, that wasn’t true. He very often regarded him with the same exasperated affection he’d always had, but now it was tinged with an aching tenderness that made Kagami squirm to hear about, when he’d finally wrangled the confession out into the open.

“You were right,” he admitted, “That had nothing to do with the coach. But you know, I’m not surprised or anything.” Kagami shrugged. “Really, I’m not. I mean, it’s really not that hard to imagine. Not that I would ever want to,” he hurried to add.

Tetsuya’s answering grin was slow but sure as he let his grip on the edge of the booth seat loosen, nervousness wiped away as Kagami spoke.

“So, have you told him?”

And in one instant, it was back. Setting his shake back down, Tetsuya shook his head. “I probably won’t for a while,” he said. “I actually want to, to just let him know. I think that’s only fair, right?” Kagami nodded slowly, taking a bite of his burger. “It just can’t be now.”

Mouth still full, Kagami mumbled a “Why not?”

Tetsuya scrunched his nose in distaste but answered, “I know I just said I should let him know but—” Kagami could barely catch his next words. “Is it wrong for me to want to have a chance?”

It took a moment for the meaning to sink in but once it did, Kagami burst out, “Of course not!” Aware of the glances he’d attracted, he lowered his voice but repeated just as vehemently, “Of course not, you dumbass. That’s normal for anyone.”

“I hardly think this qualifies as ‘normal,’” Tetsuya quipped but couldn’t deny the relief Kagami’s words elicited. “Thank you.”

“Oh hold on, we’re not done yet. If you’re going to do this, you’re going to do it right. Now, I assume you already have a plan to woo that blockhead but if you need any assistance—”

Tetsuya stopped him there. “Don’t worry about that,” he said. “I have a plan.”

And despite all of Kagami’s prodding and poking afterward, he wouldn’t say another word.

* * *

On Aomine’s next birthday, Tetsuya shows up at the court with a new gym bag and a single yellow tulip. He claims it was a freebie, thrown in by the florist after buying some flowers for his mother, and he’d decided to add it to the present on a whim. Aomine raises a skeptical eyebrow but accepts the flower anyway and their attention is quickly turned to a game.

Tetsuya does the same the next year and the next and by then Aomine’s come to expect the bright yellow flowers, tucked carefully in with another, more practical gift. By that time too, Momoi has noticed the pattern and it doesn’t take her long from there. As soon as she figures out the connection, she calls him up and he readily explains everything.

She takes it much the same way Kagami had, with mild wonder but no great surprise. She jokes that she’s a little vexed Aomine beat her out in love but it’s just that – a joke. They’d worked those feelings out a year ago and she’s happy to support them.

“So where are you going with the flowers?” she asked. “What are you leading up to?”

“I don’t really know anymore,” Tetsuya said and sighed. “I really don’t.”

“What, no surprise? No grand confession?” Momoi sounds genuinely disappointed.

Tetsuya smiles at that, imagining her delight if he did orchestrate something as elaborate as what she’d probably been thinking of. “Maybe sometime.”

“Well,” she said and her voice was so gentle it was almost upsetting, “Sometime had better be soon. You can only hold on to a first love for so long.” The words “I should know” go unspoken but Tetsuya picks up on them and has to check himself to keep from apologizing.

“I know,” he says instead. And he finally admits, “I’m stuck.”

* * *

Kagami thinks he’s being stupid. Momoi just wants them to be happy. Only Aomine gets to remain oblivious to the slow tightening in Tetsuya’s chest.

Or at least, so he thinks before it’s his birthday and Aomine is standing in front of him with a bouquet bursting with flowers. Tetsuya can pick out tulips and roses easily enough but there are more he isn’t familiar with.

Aomine’s cheeks are flushed and little puffs of white are floating up from both their mouths as they breathe in the cold air. Silently, Aomine gestures with the bouquet, scattering petals everywhere before he realizes what he’s doing and goes motionless.

It’s up to Tetsuya to ask, “What are the flowers for?”

“Well,” Aomine stammers and something about that sends Tetsuya’s heart rate on a steep climb. “Uh, this is going to sound really lame and kind of bad but Satsuki told me I should be honest and you know what happens when I’m honest.” He bites his own tongue on the rambling and looks at Tetsuya, pleading.

“I’m listening,” he prompts, the words slipping out quietly into the charged space between them.

“So I kind of realized that you’re really hot and you’ve always been cool and at first I thought, ‘Well, of course,’ but when I thought about it more, it seemed kind of off so I asked Satsuki about it and she helped me figure some stuff out and told me to tell you right away but I couldn’t, see? So she said to tell you on your birthday because for some reason, that’s supposed to make things easier but I still didn’t think I could do it so here.” He thrusts the bouquet forward so abruptly that a few more loose leaves float to the ground. “Satsuki said I could let these do the talking for me.”

Tetsuya takes the flowers and examines them, spotting a small card between the stems. Pulling it out and scanning the words printed on it, he can feel his mouth drop ever so slightly in shock.

Friendship, affection, devotion, hope and a declaration of love were listed as the meanings of the various flowers. It was certainly a jumble of species but paired with their definitions, they came together to provide one message.

Aomine steps closer and Tetsuya reciprocates, bringing the distance between them down to a few endless inches. Before Tetsuya can speak, Aomine’s hand flashes out, quick as ever, and smacks him upside the head.

Irritation bubbling up, Tetsuya pays him back with a jab to the stomach and steps away before he can be pulled into a headlock. “What was that for?” he demands.

“For being weird,” Aomine cries. “And dumb. Honestly, what were you expecting giving me those flowers every damn year? It was lucky Satsuki suggested I look into symbolism or you might’ve been stuck waiting forever.”

“I hardly think it was luck that made her mention it,” Tetsuya retorts.

“Oh, so you’ll tell her but not me? Who else knows? Bakagami?” Aomine snorts. Once he catches the sheepish shrug Tetsuya sends his way, his eyes widen. “Are you kidding me? That idiot got to find out before I did?”

“I would’ve told anyone before I told you,” Tetsuya replies. He hurries to remedy the statement though, noting the brief hurt that contorted Aomine’s features before being chased away by an all too familiar scowl. “I needed to work it out, okay? And I don’t think I could’ve ever done it without telling someone first. Obviously that someone couldn’t be the person I was pining after.”

“You were pining?” Aomine asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Looking back on it, probably.”

“Then what are you doing now?” he teases.

“Well, right now I’m definitely hoping,” Tetsuya replies. “There’s a difference.” Once again, he and Aomine approach each other. Hesitantly, Tetsuya is gathered into his arms. He can feel Aomine nuzzling into his hair and doesn’t stop to think before bringing his arms up and pulling himself closer, enjoying the warmth.

Hopeless indeed.


End file.
